The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for processing thermally developable film which involves destroying negatives after the processing and scanning of the film.
In the conventional practice of color photography, silver halide film is developed by a chemical technique requiring several steps consisting of latent image developing, bleaching, fixing and washing with the active reagents supplied in dilute solutions. While this technique has been perfected over many years and results in exceptional images, the technique requires the delivery and disposal of several chemicals and precise control of times and temperatures of development. Further, because of the mechanical constraints inherent in a wet solution process, the conventional silver halide chemical development technique is not particularly suitable for utilization with compact developing apparatuses. Nevertheless, attempts to provide convenient processing have been described by Sabbagh in EPO Published Application 0 234 833, by Bostic in U.S. Pat. No. 5,113,351, by Manico in U.S. Pat. No. 5,627,016 and by Meyers in U.S. Pat. No. 5,664,253. These approaches have not proven to be viable because of the problems mentioned above. Further, the chemical technique which is a wet processing technique is also not easily performed in the home or small office.
Imaging systems that do not rely on conventional wet processing have received increased attention in recent years. Photothermographic imaging systems have been employed for producing silver images. Typically, these imaging systems have exhibited very low levels of radiation-sensitivity and have been utilized primarily where only low imaging speeds are required. A method and apparatus for developing a heat developing film is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,537,767. Summaries of photothermographic imaging systems are published in Research Disclosure, Volume 170, June 1978, Item 17029, and Volume 299, March 1989, Item 29963. Other heat development color photographic materials have been disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,021,240 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,698,365.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,048,110 also discloses an apparatus for thermal development which comprises the use of a thrust cartridge. Also, commercial products such as Color Dry Silver supplied from Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company and Pictography(trademark) and Pictrostat(trademark) supplied by Fuji Film Co., Ltd. have been on the market.
Because they do not undergo a wet bleaching or fixing stage, thermally processed films retain all of the silver (in the form of both silver ion and elemental silver) that is used to capture and form the image. It is desirable for manufacturers of photothermographic films to recover and recycle this silver, and it is convenient to use the film itself as the recycling unit and return all processed films to a central location for silver recovery. Instead of returning the negative to the customer, it is preferable to provide the customer with a permanent image from thermally processed film in the form of a print, and/or a digital file archived on a machine-readable optical disk (CD, picture disk or photo CD), and/or replacement negatives written onto archival media from the digital file. However, the prospect of not returning negatives to a customer raises concerns about customer privacy after the processing and scanning of the thermal film.
The present invention provides for an image processing apparatus and method for thermally processed films which addresses the above mentioned consumer privacy concerns by destroying the film or negative after processing and scanning. Photothermographic film utilized in the present invention can be processed at a kiosk or a networked photofinishing appliance. In processing photothermal film, after processing, negatives are scanned and the resulting image files are digitally manipulated to render a desired output. The output may include photographic prints, an index print, a floppy disk, a machine-readable optical disk, replacement negatives written onto archival media from the digital file, or digital image files uploaded to a network. A specific apparatus suitable for a photofinishing system applicable to the present invention is discussed in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,048,110.
The present invention therefore relates to an image processing apparatus which comprises a first heater for heating an exposed thermal film to a first temperature suitable for thermal processing of the exposed thermal film; a scanner for scanning the thermally processed film to create a digital record file representative of images on the thermally processed film; and a second heater for heating the thermally processed film to a second temperature which develops the film to a maximum density level. The second temperature may be comparable or higher than the first temperature. In the event that scanning of the film subjects the imaging element to light to which it is sensitive, thus producing an abundance of latent image exposure, there is no need for the second heating step to occur at a temperature above that of the first.
The present invention further relates to an image processing apparatus which comprises the capability to process film though a high temperature processor, scan the film and rewind the film through the heated processor at the same temperature as for the initial processing of the film. In the event that scanning of the film subjects the imaging element to light to which it is sensitive, thus producing an abundance of latent image exposure, the second pass through the thermal processor will have the effect of rendering a Dmax density uniformly on the film.
The present invention further relates to an image processing apparatus which comprises an adjustable heating assembly having at least a first temperature setting suitable for thermal processing of an exposed thermal film and a second temperature setting equal to or higher than the first temperature setting suitable for destroying images on the thermally processed film; and a scanner for scanning the thermally processed film to create a digital record file of images on the thermally processed film. After scanning, the thermally processed film is conveyed back to the heating assembly where the heating assembly is set at the second temperature setting for destroying the images on the thermally processed film.
The present invention further relates to an image processing apparatus which comprises a heater for heating an exposed thermal film to a temperature suitable for thermal processing of the exposed film; a scanner for scanning the thermally processed film to create a digital record file representative of images on the thermally processed film; and a destroying member for destroying the thermally processed film after the film has been scanned. The destroying member could be, for example, a film shredder that physically fractionates the image, a high intensity illuminator that fogs the image by printout, or a treatment that chemically obscures the image or physically bonds the film such that it cannot be unrolled when wound upon itself. Chemicals to obscure the image, for example, could be unreactive dyes or pigments, reactive dyes or pigments, reducing agents, oxidizing agents, and the like. Chemicals to bond the film, for example, could be water, solutions of gelatin, hydroxyethyl cellulose, or other binders, adhesives, glues and the like. Methods of chemical application could be any known in the art including spraying, dunking, coating, gravure, inkjet, lamination, and the like.
The present invention further provides for an image processing method which comprises the steps of heating an exposed thermal film to a first temperature suitable for thermal processing of the exposed film; scanning the thermally processed film to create a digital record file representative of images on the thermally processed film; and after the scanning step, heating the thermally processed film to a second temperature equal to or higher than the first temperature which destroys the images on the thermally processed film.
The present invention further relates to an image processing apparatus which comprises a heater adapted to maintain a temperature suitable for thermal processing of an exposed thermal film, and a scanner for scanning the thermally processed film to create a digital record file of images on the thermally processed film. The scanner produces a light exposure output at levels and spectral regions sufficient to fully expose a photographic element on the film wherein after scanning, the thermally processed film is conveyed back to the heater where, due to the light exposure by the scanner, the thermal process at the heater destroys the images on the thermally processed film.
The present invention further relates to an image processing method which comprises the steps of heating an exposed thermal film to a temperature suitable for thermal processing of the exposed film; scanning the thermally processed film to create a digital record file representative of images on the thermally processed film; and after the scanning step, destroying the thermally processed film.